What keeps this tradition, which is hundreds of years old, going?

You never see the script until he has finished.

He describes his process of lying face down on the carpet trying to think of things.

There isnt really anything like it around.

Do you have a favouriteCreekmystery?

It was quite nice in the old days to just sit and eat and talk.

Did you get any of that with Rik Mayall this time around?

Its so great having him on set, he just makes people laugh all the time.

He uses inappropriate language a lot and makes you laugh.

We have never had anyone who dresses up as Creek; never had those.

You would read them and they would be terrible.

What David does is much harder than it looks, still it was quite entertaining.

So is this the start of a more regular series then?

Even withQIits the same, you only know when you get told.

They have just said to us we can have two more years ofQIon condition that we freeze the money.

They are chipping the money down and down.

When we get to series Z well be paying them fifty quid to do it.

Is it because Danny Cohen (BBC One Controller) is a fan thatCreekhas come back?

Although he has his new stage career!

What I would like is if Stephen is in it but plays an absolute idiot, a total halfwit.

And Jonathan Creek could then just keep saying I cant believe you dont know this.

Every time he gets something wrong, the QI claxon could sound.

Now were on to something!

It is odd to be the most stupid man on television and the cleverest at the same time.

It is quite fun to do that.

It is just extraordinary thatQIhas gone on for so long really!

What happens when you reach series Z of QI?

I think well retire probably.

I will be quite elderly.

Do you ever have a say about casting forJonathan Creek?

Are you able to make suggestions?

No David does it all.

Like Joanna Lumley, he has always wanted her to be inCreek.

And in this one you have Rik Mayall and Nigel Planer.

Was that a conscious decision from David or a casting coincidence?

I am not sure, Nigel has been in it before in a completely different role.

He played a bumbling idiot before and now he is playing a genius.

What is up for you next?

QInext, and Im doing lots of stand up, so I am doing festivals in the summer nowadays.

I used to do Glastonbury and Edinburgh and that was it.

Now every town has a festival, so I am doing lots!

Is it great to be back doing the stand up?

Yeah having had ten years away from doing it, its great.

You get drawn back to it really; you just cant help but come back to it.

Whereas filming is a very big commitment, a lot of hours so there are lots of pluses.

You have more to say.

Alan Davies, thank you very much!